An Outside View
by Animated Innovation
Summary: Thrown together by nothing but chance. Their friend is their enemy. Oh ironic fate, oh fated irony. What is to come?


**Chapter One**

I woke up, my body covered with sweat. I was panting, and was completely white. It was lucky I didn't scream. I didn't want anyone to find me. I could still feel the bruises from last night. I was lucky I got away with only broken ribs.

Speaking of which, I tenderly poked them and had to bite my lip to keep from screaming out. They had done a real number on me.

I slowly got up from the corner of the filthy alley. I walked over to the dumpster. Rats. It had recently been emptied. I wondered if it was safe enough to go home. I decided to wait a bit, while the old man got into a better mood.

I slowly stalked out of the alley, letting a swagger enter my steps. People didn't bother you so much when you looked dangerous. And I was good at that. Looking dangerous, I mean.

I rubbed my jet black hair with my hand, and scowled. My friends said I looked freaking scary when I scowled.

I slowly swaggered down the street, taking my own sweet time, taking in the scene around me. I surveyed it carefully. It helped to know your surroundings. I couldn't last night. I was wasted. One of the guys nailed me in the head with his boot.

I rubbed it tenderly. It didn't feel as bad as my ribs. I lifted my T-shirt carefully. It wasn't pretty. My ribs were covered with deep blue and black bruises, tinged with yellow.

I continued down the street, and wolf whistled at a pretty little blond. She walked by me quickly, scared. I smirked. To easy.

I walked around, until my ribs started bugging me, and my head started throbbing. I found a park nearby, and sat down on the first bench I saw, scaring off a soccer mom with her dog.

I sat there for who knows how long. I passed out for a bit. When I woke up the sun was high in the sky. I decided it would be safe enough to go home.

I stalked quickly to the dingy old house we had on mortgage. It was pretty run down, with chipped paint, a sagging porch, and cracked windows, but that wasn't so bad.

When I stepped inside, the smell assaulted my nose, but I was used to it. I made my way past the disgusting slob that called itself my pa, and walked into the kitchen. I opened the fridge that had nothing in it except beer. I shut that, and then went through the cupboards. I finally found an old box of puffed wheat, and started shoveling that down.

I left the kitchen, and walked up the stairs to my room, second one on the left. I entered, and took in the familiar room.

It was white, and the paint was chipping, but that was covered with posters of cars, and girls in bikini's and even less clothing. I put the puffed wheat down on my bed, and began going through my drawers.

I came out with some clean(ish) underwear, black T-shirt, jeans with holes in the knees, socks, and a red bandana.

I quick changed, and grabbed the puffed wheat, shoveling more into my mouth.

I went back downstairs, and surveyed my pa. He was out cold in front of the T.V., surrounded by beer bottles.

When he was drunk, nothing-not even if a car drove through the house-could wake him up. I quick popped his wallet out, took a few oner but not anything else. Don't want him to get suspicious. He doesn't count the money every morning, but he would notice, if he went to the liquor store, and went to buy something, that his wallet was empty.

I shoved that into my pocket, shoved some more puffed wheat into my mouth, and walked out the door. Didn't need pa finding me home.

I just wandered around for the most part of the afternoon, going in and coming out of stores a bit bulkier.

I was bumming around a music shop when Benny came walking by. "Hey, Benny!" I called out to him.

He walked over. "Hey Jake, what's happening?"

"Wanna smoke?"

"Sure." I didn't smoke, but the rest of the gang did. I just carried them around unless I ran into one of the gang, like now.

I thought smoking was gross, and I got immensely sick the first and only time I tried them. Plus they screwed up your health, and shortened your life.

I drank sometimes. The only reason I got wasted last night was because I was stupid, and put my drink down. Someone spiked it. I was lucky it wasn't any worse.

I handed one to him, and he lit up. I covered my mouth and nose, not wanting to smell, or breath in smoke. Benny didn't mind. The gang got used to me doing this after a while. But it kind of offended the gang, and Austen beat me up the first time he lit up in front of me.

Benny took a few drags, then crushed the cigarette butt under his heel.

We decided to walk around a bit, maybe try hook up with some girls. Getting a girl wasn't going to be easy. We were one of the most well-known gang around, and we were all recognizable.

I had jet black hair and piercing blue eyes. Everyone knew my pa threw me out every other night, and I was the youngest in the gang (15). As well, I think he sympathized with me.

We all had distinctive hair and eyes. You could spot us out a mile away.

Another you could use to distinguish our gang? We all wore bandana's. Each one's was a different colour; it was kinda like a name tag. Red bandana? Jake. Yellow bandana? Happy (his real name was Humphrey, but he was just so happy all the time, the name came easy.) Black bandana? Austen.

So me and Benny were just sitting there, smoking, (Well, Benny was anyways, and I was trying to read a book) when a slick black car pulls up beside us. Out comes- you guessed it-Sheperds.

The Sheperd gang were our rival gang. Tim Sheperd was there leader, so you could guess where they got their name from.

When I was a little kid, the first time my pa kicked me out, I wandered into Sheperd territory. Bad move. You couldn't recognize me the next day I was beat up so bad. If I had any valuables on me (which I hadn't), they would've been gone.

Both me and Benny simultaneously whipped out our blades. There was nothing more dangerous than a car full of Sheperds. Well, besides a car full of Socs or Tiber Street Tigers

Right now the Sheperds were out for us because Franz had dumped Tim's little sister in a harsh way. They had been going for a month (A record for us. Happy was the only one of us who had a steady girl.), and Franz hadn't been interested anymore. She was hopelessly smitten, and Franz had dumped her at a restaurant, leaving her the bill. We told him not to go out with a Sheperd relative (let alne the leaders sister), but he didn't listen. There would have to have it out soon, or there would be nothing left of us. Snatcher had been jumped just yesterday, and they had jumped me last night.

"Well looky what we have here. Some little River Kings with no one to help them. Why don't we give them a lesson?"

Five more of them piled out of the car, and we were suddenly surrounded, our backs pressing the brick wall. Six to Two. What even odds.

XXXXXXXX

I woke up to the smell of saw dust, and a rainbow of colours spinning around my head.

"Look he's coming to!" Finally the world stopped spinning. The colours were the gangs bandanas. I was in the back of Dan's shop.

"You okay kid?" I heard Dan ask.

"Yeah." I said, and tried to sit up. Then the room started spinning again, and I fell back to the floor. I could also start to feel a dull throbbing across my rib cage.

"Maybe not." I forced the words threw my teeth, trying not to cry out, as the pain in my ribs came more pronounced.

Austen swore, and began to mutter a few more colourful words after that. "Who got ya?"

"Well didn't I tell ya already?" Benny said from across the room. "We was jumped by Sheperds." Austen glared at him.

"I was talking 'bout names."

"Who cares about names? This has ta come to a stop. They been taking us out left and right. Snatcher got jumped just yesterday, and Jinx was hit the day before that! We need to call them on it."

I slowly got up, and the world didn't spin so much, but my ribs were killing me. I fell down yet again. "I agree with Benny. Let's have it out."

Austen glared at me. "Shut up kid. You're so outta your head you don't know what you're saying. You can't even sit up without falling back down! Besides, we're in no shape for a fight."

Dan slowly came into the conversation. "I agree with Benny and Jake. I say we call it on." Austen turned onto him.

"What?! Are you all outta your minds? I swear you're all insane! We'll get killed out there!"

Dan butted in again. "Not if we call a skin on skin fight. No one gets hurt skin on skin."

I was trying to sit up again. "Yeah, no one gets hurt skin on skin." I fell down again.

Austen shouted out a few profanities, and stormed out of the room. Dan piped up. "So all in favour of a fight, say aye."

An "aye" rang out from everyone.

"So we're decided. I'll get hold of one of the Sheperds, and we'll hold a war council later. I send for all'a'ya when we have it set up. For now, head home, or where ever you stay. And can someone help Jake out?"

Eventually Happy helped me home. I said goodbye to him on my doorstep, and fearfully went inside.

As soon as I stepped inside, I heard the roar of my pa. "BOY! GET IN HERE BOY!"

I cringed, and tentatively stepped into the living room. A hand came across my face, and I landed against the wall. I fell down to the floor, stars in my vision.

"GET UP!" My pa's voice roared. I tried to get up, but I kept falling down. My father went on to cuss me out while he kicked me.

As he kicked me I heard a crack. "Well," I thought. "There goes another rib." After a while, everything went numb, and I sank into unconsciousness.

XXXXXXXX

I woke up on a dirty floor, sticky with old beer residue and blood.

I tried to get up, and cried out in pain. It was lucky my Pa hadn't been there, or there would've been worse for me to cry about.

Carefully, I eased myself off the floor, every movement being painful. Eventually, I was able to limp/crawl/drag myself to the phone. I dial the speed dial for the shop.

"Dan's Carpentry Shop, where every project is unique, guaranteed. Dan speaking."

"Dan?" I asked, "Its Jake."

I could hear him smiling over the phone. "Hey Jake. What's up?"

"I can't get up."

"What's that? I thought I heard you say you couldn't get up."

"I did. My dad beat me bad. Can you get some of the gang to bring me to the shop?"

"Yeah. Benny's in the back right now and… Oh, Austen just walked in. They'll be there in ten minutes."

He hung up.

I let the phone drop to the floor. I was too sore to move. It even hurt to breath.

Eleven minutes later Benny and Austen stomped in through the front door. They found me laying a foot away from the phone.

Benny quick ran around the corner and you could hear him puking his guts out. Benny had always had a weak stomach.

Austen stared at me. Then he swore for a while. Then he said, "Kid you look like…" He continued to speak profanities. He looked slightly sick, which was normal. He always worried, even though he had no need to.

After Benny was done retching, he and Austen tried to lift me up. I tried not to show any pain, but I could feel my face contort, and a muffled whimper escaped my lips.

Austen and Benny put me down again.

They tried doing this a few more times, but each time they got the same result.

Austen started cussing again, while Benny looked around for something to help.

After a few minutes, they finally decided on something: Austen would go "borrow" a car/truck/van,-something on wheels that could get me to the shop with me passing out from pain-then Benny would roll me onto a blanket, so I could be carried hammock style out to the vehicle. And to do all this before my Pa could unexpectedly show up.

Remembering how they only used a few minutes to think this up, they did pretty good. At least, that's what I was thinking before they tried to move me.

Benny had just brought the ratty old blanket out from the closet and had set it beside me. Then, as carefully as he could, he shifted my legs over, then my torso. I was biting my tongue down the whole time.

Finally, Austen showed up with and old, rusty truck-you always stole the old clunkers because cops never took a second look at those-and they carried me-painfully- out to the truck, and set me down in the back. Austen sat with me as Benny drove.

I tried to keep my whimpers to a minimum, but sometimes I just couldn't hold them in. You could see emotion flash through Austen's eyes at each sound. Probably more worry.

Thankfully, we got to the shop in record time-probably Benny's crappy driving-and the guys carried me in. Let me tell you, there's nothing more embarrassing than being carried into a crowded shop in a blanket. Especially when you're 15. It wouldn't be as bad if you were say…5?

Without looking up Dan asked, "What took so long?"

He looked up. "Oh god. Please tell me he's not dead."

A hoarse "No." came from me."

Dan looked relived. To Benny and Austen he said, "Bring him into my office."

Dan's office held a large oak desk (he made it himself) and a carpeted burgundy couch (which he bought from a second hand store).

Benny and Austen set me down on the couch and took off my shirt to see all the damage. Benny gasped. He really annoyed me sometimes.

I looked down at myself and winced. It wasn't pretty.

My ribs varied in colour from black, to yellow, to a weird greenish colour.

Apparently, I also had a black eye, split lip, should've or should have stiches in the back of my head, and had, like, four broken ribs. Three from before and one form when my dad hit me. Also, I probably had a minor-or major-concussion.

Dan shook his head, "Jake, do you go looking for someone to beat you up? Cause this is the third time in almost two days."

I groaned, "No, I don't go looking for someone to beat me up-lots of people just want to beat me up."

Dan smirked. "I was kidding." Dan went behind his desk and grabbed a bottle of vodka. He gave it to me, "Drink up. I'm going to have to sew up your head, and it going to feel a lot worse without this."

I shook my head, ignoring the pain that blossomed through my head, "I don't drink."

"You sure?"

I nodded.

Dan shrugged, "Okay, if you say so." He went back behind his desk and pulled out a needle and thread.

The guys propped me up with pillows so Dan could get the back of my head.

With the first stich, Benny had left the room and I was chugging the vodka like my life depended on it.

Finally, Dan finished up. I think he told me to stay put, and sleep on the couch for the night, but I was pretty out of it. I stayed there anyways. It was way better than going back to my house.

XXXXXXXX

The next morning, I didn't remember anything. Austen filled me in, since Benny had run out of the room before he could see anything, and Dan was currently working.

I didn't mind Austen's company. I mean, sure-he was grim, unsmiling and sometimes, just plain rude-but he was cool. He didn't talk just for the sake of talking-unlike Franz-and I don't have a leg to stand on when it comes to not smiling. If you were in my position you wouldn't smile much either. As well, I've never meant a polite hood, and somehow, his depression fit the mood I was in right now.

I'm actually rather happy he was the one with me. I had a killer headache, from the alcohol I'd chugged and my possible concussion. I'd never been one for talking anyway.

Throughout the day, some of the gang came and went, there were some nosy customers peeking into Dan's office-when their eyes finally landed on me I had flipped them off-and in all, I just sat around napping on and off.

Finally, Dan came in, did some paper, occasionally chatting with me, when the phone rang. He picked it up with a "Hello, Dan's Carpentry Shop. How can I help you?"

Suddenly he was alert, stiff in his chair.

I sat up. "What? What's wrong?"

Dan ignored me, "You sure? Yeah, yeah. I'll be right there." He hung up.

I looked at him in dismay. I didn't want him to leave me without telling me what was going on. "Well, what's happening?"

Dan gave me a cold stare. "Snatcher beat up a Sheperd, and got him to call a War council. Everyone's meeting in the old warehouse in a half hour." Like he read my mind, he said, "and you're not coming."

"What?!" I sputtered. "I have to come. What if the fight start's then and there?"

"Then that's an even better reason to leave you here. You're in no shape for a fight. You'll stay here." I was about to protest again when he said, "And that's an order."

I slumped back, defeated. "Fine." If you went against your leader's orders, it wasn't a functioning gang anymore. It was a snarling pack of coyotes.

Dan looked at me pointedly. "If any of the gang shows up, tell them to beat it top the meeting. We'll be back in maybe an hour, hour and a half? We'll fill you in then."

With that he left. I was tempted to ignore his orders, but when I tried to get up, my ribs cried out in pain. So I sat there, picking at some frayed threads.

About half an hour later they guys were back, filling me in. They made sure to schedule a rumble later until I would be able to fight. That was going to be a while.


End file.
